The Chronicles of Moony
by RowlingTribute91
Summary: All about our favorite werewolf, from his first transformation, to his days at Hogwarts, to life before Tonks.
1. The First Howl

**The First Howl**

_"The man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night,_

_May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright."_

-Florence + The Machine

* * *

><p>It was a day like any other for eight-year old Remus Lupin, who was enjoying the weather and playing outside while his parents watched. But he was no ordinary boy. He was a wizard. He could make strange events occur whenever he liked. In the presence of Muggles, however, he wasn't allowed to show any sign of abnormality. It was getting rather difficult to hide, and Remus was more than anxious to start attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, he would finally meet more people of his kind, and learn how to use his magic properly. He had three more years to wait, and until then, he was forced to remain at home so as not to arouse any suspicion from non-magical eyes (I mean to say, how would <em>you<em> feel if someone unintentionally set your desk on fire?). He knew that his parents loved him and were just "thinking of what's best for him". This isolation wasn't their fault. It was Wizarding law: until the age of eleven, all witches and wizards must be home-schooled. Still, poor Remus had no siblings to share his anxiety with. He felt like a bird in a cage, not unlike a certain dark-haired boy with round glasses and a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead (but they wouldn't meet for many, many years).

The Lupins lived in a very hilly part of the country. On this crisp, autumn day, Remus was trying to change the color of the apples on one of the many trees that lived in his enormous backyard, to no avail. Remus scowled. "Why aren't any of the apples changing color?" He asked his mother.

"Well, honey, you have to focus on just one of them in order to do it," she replied sweetly.

Remus nodded, then made another attempt. This time, the apple in front of him went from a bright green to a dark shade of red. He beamed proudly at his creation.

"Very good, Remus," Mrs. Lupin cheered, patting her son on the back and kissing him on the cheek. "I have to go in the house for a moment. Will you feel safe if I let you stay out here by yourself?"

"I'll be just fine! Don't worry," answered Remus. He watched as his mother walked over to their back door, opened it, and went inside.

Beyond this tree was a vast forest. Remus never dared to venture into it before. _Who knows what could be in there_. His curiosity suddenly got the best of him. Warily, he stepped closer to the forest. Then, he took notice of something that made his blood freeze. A pair of glowing eyes were staring back at him.

Needless to say, Remus was deathly afraid of these eyes. He wanted to run, but fear seemed to have rooted his legs to the ground. Out of the forest walked a monstrous wolf. Its yellow eyes were still glaring at Remus, looking ravenous and licking its lips. Yet its face appeared to be… almost human-like. Wasn't this a creature he'd heard about in the stories his father told him? _Impossible_, the boy thought. By now, Remus came back to his senses. He broke into a run. Being so young, he could run extremely fast, but the wolf was faster. It caught up to him in no time, chasing him up a hill. Remus stopped at the top to catch his breath, while the wolf turned around in front of him.

"Please don't hurt me!" he begged. The wolf clearly didn't hear him, because it lunged at him and sank its teeth into his arm. Immediately, Remus fell backwards and rolled down the hill, only stopping when he reached the bottom. The wolf pawed its way down the hill, gave him a sneer, and ran back into the woods.

Mr. and Mrs. Lupin had heard their son's cries and ran to see him, lying on the grass. One look at the bite and his mother burst into tears. His father was in total shock. "What did this to you?" he asked.

Wincing, Remus told them about the wolf.

"But somehow, I don't think it was a real wolf. Its face looked like a man's!" He paused nervously. "You don't think I was bitten by… a werewolf… do you?"

His mother and father looked at him in surprise. From what Remus had described, it sure did look as though he had just been attacked by a werewolf. But they weren't about to tell their son the bad news just yet. He was only a boy, and he'd be scared out of his wits if he knew. However, they had the next full moon to worry about… what to do? They exchanged worried glances. Mrs. Lupin took her son's hand.

"I'm sure it was only a plain old wolf. You have nothing to worry about! Come on, Remus. Let's get that bite all cleaned up." Back in the house, she laid a few drops of essence of dittany over the crude teeth marks. It did the trick, causing the wound to slowly fade away, until all that could be seen was healthy skin. Relieved, Remus thanked his mother, took a snack from the pantry, and went to his room to practice some more magic. _Thank goodness that's over_, he thought while levitating a book. He had no idea that it was far from over. The werewolf still lurked in the forest, and his name was Fenrir Greyback.

Remus went on about his business during the following month. November arrived, and so did the full moon. Knowing what was about to come, the Lupins knew it was best to take Remus outside for the night.

"But it's late, and it's so cold," Remus argued. "I'll freeze to death!"

"Don't be silly, son," his father said. "It does a body good to get outside, especially when it's a growing boy like yourself."

Grudgingly, Remus put on his sweater, boots and winter jacket. Snow was beginning to fall lightly as he marched outdoors. He turned around to see if his parents followed, but found himself alone, as they were watching from inside. The full moon glared in the distance. Remus never noticed just how beautiful it was until now. Then again, there were many things that boys his age didn't notice. Like the paws that were growing on his hands… He did a double take. _No way_. He peered into the house.

"Mum, what's happening to me?" he screamed. The Lupins could only watch in horror, for fear of what their son might do when he fully transformed. Pain like nothing he'd ever experienced before surged through his being. Gray fur was sprouting from his toes to his face. His sense of smell grew sharper (was that a rabbit deep in the forest?), and his eyes turned from hazel to yellow. He hunched over on all fours. Suddenly, he had the urge to hunt. He let out a ferocious howl, echoing all around. I think it's safe to say that he no longer felt human. In this way, Remus Lupin was cursed for the rest of his life.


	2. A Werewolf at Hogwarts

**A Werewolf at Hogwarts**

Three years came and went. Remus had adjusted to being outside when the full moon was up, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being a werewolf. In wolf form, he felt vicious. He'd probably killed about fifty animals in the forest by now. In human form, however, he was counting down the days until he would finally take his first journey to Hogwarts. What house would he get sorted into? He was hoping for Gryffindor, as his father had been placed there. On the other hand, his mother had been in Ravenclaw. Either house would satisfy him.

Remus was expecting a letter from Hogwarts, listing all the materials he needed for the term. Coming to dinner one August day, he saw that his father was holding one. Remus eagerly walked up to him. "Is that for me?"

"Yes," his father replied, "and I'm afraid it's not your Hogwarts letter." He gave the letter to his son. Surely enough, his name was on the front. But the envelope wasn't bearing the Hogwarts seal.

Remus opened it and began to read.

_Dear Mr. Remus Lupin,_

_As you know, you are now of the age to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Congratulations! However, we have also gained knowledge that you are not entirely human. Werewolves are dangerous to any creature they come in contact with. We fear that you would pose a threat to the students of Hogwarts, and so it is with deepest regret that we prohibit you from entering the school grounds. You must find an alternative way to receive your magical education._

_Best wishes,_

_The Ministry of Magic_

Remus sat down, crestfallen. "I knew I had to stay away from people when I'm a wolf, but I had no idea it would keep me from Hogwarts!" He couldn't help but start crying, just as his mother entered the room.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Remus handed her the letter. After reading it, she wrapped her arms around her son.  
>"Oh, Remus. We should have told you this might happen."<p>

"It's not fair!" he exclaimed indignantly. "Wasn't it bad enough that I could kill either of you accidentally?"

"Believe me, I feel your anger," his father said.

"You don't know how I feel!" Remus yelled.

"You'd be surprised how much I understand you," Mr. Lupin countered. "The werewolf who changed you, Fenrir Greyback… well, you could say I know him."

"Wait!" Mrs. Lupin interrupted. "Are you sure you want to tell Remus about this?"

"Tell me what?" Remus asked out of curiosity.

His father took a deep breath. "You were going to find out eventually, so it's best that you hear it from me. Greyback knew what he was doing when he bit you. I said some terrible things to him once, and that is how he paid me back. It's my fault you're a werewolf. And he didn't bite you alone. You see… we're one and the same."

Remus was shocked. "Do you mean to say that you're a werewolf, too?" Mr. Lupin nodded grimly.

"But... you never go outside when I do to transform," Remus reasoned. "Where do you go at the full moon, then?"

"Our cellar. I'd be mad to go outside with you because we could both be so harmful to one another." This made perfect sense to his son, but he was still angry.

"At least you didn't get bitten until _after_you went to Hogwarts," Remus mumbled. Then he went to his room without eating dinner.

A week later, another letter arrived. This time, it was from Hogwarts.

_Dear Mr. Remus Lupin,_

_I was told about your situation, and I am rather upset that the Ministry has banned you from attending Hogwarts. I, personally, did not see why we couldn't accommodate you in the best way we can. So I contacted the Ministry to fix the matter. At this moment, we are creating a habitat in which you'll stay during every full moon night. Otherwise, you'll be treated like every other student and live in the dormitories. I look forward to meeting you on the first of September!_

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_  
><em>Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<em>

Remus gave out a loud whoop of joy. His parents cheered along with him. School would begin in just two weeks! There was so much to do. So much to pack! He realized how lucky he was, so he sent an owl to Dumbledore with a letter of appreciation. He didn't realize just how many obstacles were still to come.


	3. Not A Furry Little Problem

**Not A Furry Little Problem**

The day after Remus arrived at Hogwarts (having been happily sorted into Gryffindor), he was shown the place that would be his werewolf abode for the next seven years. He thought Dumbledore had been clever with this: a tree covered the entrance, a tree that would smack anyone who dared try to enter. He only had to press a hole in the tree to stop the branches from moving. Under the tree was a passage to a wooden shack. It contained a flight of stairs. On the top floor lay a mattress and pillows. It wasn't fancy, but Remus kept in mind, _I'll just rip apart everything in here_.

Over the next year, he made friends with many of his fellow Gryffindors, but there were three people who stood out to him. There was James Potter, a boy with jet-black hair and (Remus had to admit) a rather cocky demeanor. Sirius Black had a mane of hair that reminded Remus of a dog, but he was fairly more humble than James. Another boy named Peter Pettigrew had started to trail them around. His face was, unarguably, similar to a rat's. Remus didn't mind his company, and he thought that James and Sirius were being too hard on him. They kept trying to leave Peter in the dust, yet Remus always convinced them not to. If anything, he could understand Peter's need to fit in. Remus planned on revealing his secret to him first. That is, if he ever had the courage. Gryffindors were prized for their bravery, but this was a unique exception. He thought, _what would they think of being friends with a werewolf? Will they still want to be my friend? Will they always run at the sight of me?_

Near the end of his second year, Remus found himself alone with Peter in their dormitory. If there was any time to speak up, it would be now.

"Peter, how much do you know about werewolves?"

Peter gave his friend an incredulous look. "Well, I know that they only-"

"Remus!" James and Sirius had burst into the dorm. "We were just wondering something," Sirius began.

"Where do you go on the nights that you're not asleep in your bed?" James sounded as though he'd been wanting to ask this for ages.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Remus answered, not daring to look him in the eye. "I always sleep here."

"Then why have I seen you out by the Whomping Willow with Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yeah!" Sirius agreed. "And more specifically, every full moon night?"

"What were you two doing out of bed?" Remus tried to argue.

"Answer our question!" demanded James. "We're not stupid. We've paid attention to the signs." He rattled off each symptom with his fingers. "You're absent during the full moon. You're ill for days afterwards. And let's not forget the scars on your face. Are you, or are you not, a werewolf?"

That did it. Remus was cornered. They'd already figured it out for themselves.

He breathed deeply. "It's true. I was bitten about four years ago."

Peter raised his eyebrows. "Were you just about to tell me this before they came in?"

Remus nodded. His friends fell silent as they processed the news. He fell onto his bed, covering the back of his head with his pillow, wishing for nothing more than to take a nap. Sirius tapped him on the shoulder.

"I promise, we won't tell."

Remus poked his head out from under the pillow. "You're still talking to me?"

"Of course."

James spoke next. "So what if you have a furry little problem?" Remus chuckled. "I think it's kind of cool."

Remus shot dagger eyes at James. _Did James really think it was cool to be a potential murderer?  
><em>  
>"Sorry… I mean, it sets you apart from anyone I've ever met."<p>

"It doesn't change anything for me, either," said Peter. "Were you thinking that we'd leave you alone?"

Remus watched the faces of each boy and knew the answer. They were never going to abandon him.

"How can I ever thank you enough?" he said in earnest. That was all he could manage to say without crying.

"Well, you could always do our homework for us," Sirius joked.

Remus gave a sarcastic laugh. There was nothing like friendship at this moment.


	4. Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs

**Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs**

By fifth year, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black were known as the troublemakers of Hogwarts. Mostly, though, it was James and Sirius who earned detentions, while Remus unsuccessfully kept persuading them to put an end to their mischief. It's not that he didn't like practical jokes once in a while. But as a prefect, he had to admit that his best friends were obsessed with it.

"Full moon tonight, isn't there, Moony?" Peter asked him in the dormitory.  
>This was Remus' nickname because of his condition, and he thought it was very creative.<p>

"Yes, but what's it to you?" Remus muttered. He knew what they were about to ask. "You three can't just follow me to see what I do as a wolf. It's after hours. And remember, I could kill you!"

"Sure, we'll stay here," James said uncharacteristically. "I guess we worked hard on this for nothing, then…" _Oh great. What did they do_ _this_ _time_, thought Remus.

"If it's another prank, I don't want to hear it," he said aloud.

"Oh, but it's not a prank," replied Sirius in a singsong voice. His tone suggested, _you know you're curious to find out our secret_! "Take a guess."

"Can we please not play that game?" Remus complained. "Just tell me what you three did."

"Over the past few years, we've all learned how to become an Animagus," James answered.

Remus was in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that a trio of teenage wizards can turn themselves into animals? And isn't it illegal to be an unregistered Animagus?"

"Yes and yes, but that doesn't matter!" cried Sirius. "If you let us come inside your werewolf hideout, we can show you."

"I'll bring my Invisibility Cloak for me and Sirius," James added. "We know where to follow you. Peter can hide himself well because he transforms into a rat."

Peter nodded at Remus, as if this was the proof he wanted. Remus just rolled his eyes and headed out the portrait hole to meet with Madame Pomfrey. They took the more than familiar path to the Whomping Willow, where Remus was left on his own to walk through the tunnel that led to his shack. The moon wasn't entirely out yet, but he didn't want to take any chances of changing in front of someone. Settled in the shack, there was nothing to do now except wait for the wolf inside him to break out.

Were those footsteps he just heard? Remus was positive about that. Coming up the creaking staircase was… a rat. They weren't joking. The rat clearly had Peter's face. James and Sirius brought up the rear.

"What did we tell you?" James boasted, clutching his cloak. Then he moved his hand toward Peter. "Say hello to Wormtail!"

Remus waved meekly at the rat. James and Sirius were glaring at him, anxious to show their Animagus forms.

"What do you two become?" questioned Remus.

"That's for us to know, and for you to find out!" Sirius teased. "You may call me Padfoot if you like."

"Why?"

In that instant, Sirius vanished, and a black dog appeared in his place. He barked at Remus affectionately. Remus couldn't resist petting the dog.

"When I change, you can refer to me as Prongs," James said. Remus decided not to ask why this time, and watched his friend as his form grew. James was now a magnificent stag.

This was surreal. The only Animagus Remus had known was Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher, who transformed into a cat. He never imagined that he'd meet three of them at one time.

"So, you did this just for fun?" Remus asked warily.  
>Peter, James, and Sirius returned back to their human selves.<p>

"It has its perks," admitted Sirius, "like being able to sneak out whenever I choose."

"Speak for yourself," James said enviously. "I'm so large that I'd be easily spotted on the grounds. I'm just lucky to have the Invisibility Cloak."

Peter said, "It's not exactly comfortable to be an animal that you could step on. But we didn't do this for ourselves."

Remus gave them a puzzled expression.

"We did it so that we could understand your predicament a little better," said Sirius. "So that you didn't have to go through it all by yourself."

James walked up to Remus. "We can try to calm you down, Moony. Maybe one day, you can actually be a tame wolf."

Remus highly doubted that his wolf behavior would ever change, but it was the thought that counted.

"Come here, Padfoot, Wormtail, Prongs!" He stretched out his arms to invite them for a group hug. Somehow, Remus knew that he'd just found life-long friends.


	5. Waiting for Tonks

**Waiting for Tonks**

As the Hogwarts grounds began to show signs of summer, Remus and his friends were studying for their O.W.L.S. They were joined by other Gryffindors, including Lily Evans. She was a ginger-haired fifth year whom Remus had met in their first Charms class. She was also the only girl at Hogwarts who knew that Remus was a werewolf. She'd proven herself trustworthy, like his roommates, so he had told her before Christmas of the previous year. Anyone could see that James had taken a great liking to her.

When it was time for dinner in the Great Hall, James took Remus aside.

"Moony, I need to ask you… Do you fancy Lily at all? I mean, I've seen the way you are when she's around. You can't stop smiling."

"Really?" Remus replied. Being in love with Lily hadn't ever crossed his mind. "You don't have to worry about that, mate. I don't fancy Lily. But she's been a great help to me during the full moon cycles. That's all. I know you like her, so why don't you ask her out?"

"Don't need to tell me twice!" James chimed happily.

It took two years for Lily to accept James as more than a friend. After finishing their years at Hogwarts, they married. Remus became their house guest. He'd researched multiple job options, but nobody was going to hire a "half-breed" like Remus. Unless he wanted to be homeless, they were his last option. Three years later, James and Lily died at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort. Their son, Harry, was the lone survivor in the Potter home. Voldemort had lost power because something strange occurred when he tried to kill the boy. The string of tragedies didn't end there. Not long after, Sirius Black was put into Azkaban for a mass murder. Among the victims was Peter Pettigrew. With these events, Remus Lupin's world was turning upside down. He didn't know where to turn. _How could Sirius have given the Potter's location to Voldemort? How could he kill twelve people all at once?_ Peter hadn't deserved to die, and neither had Lily or James. This was a betrayal of the worst kind.

Twelve years passed before Remus saw a ray of light in the darkness. Dumbledore sent him a letter, asking him to be professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Remus took the generous offer, and made the bittersweet return to his old school. The Shrieking Shack was still there for when he reached "that time of the month". As a bonus, he was given a potion that would render him a harmless wolf. _If only life were this easy outside of the castle_, he mused longingly. Sirius Black had escaped, the first prisoner of Azkaban to do so. Now, Remus was keeping his eyes peeled.

-in Lupin's office-

"You can do it, Harry. Focus all your energy on the happiest memory you can think of."

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

Remus met Harry Potter on the Hogwarts Express, and they became friends quickly. Halfway through his first year of teaching, Remus had volunteered to show Harry how to conjure a Patronus. The poor boy couldn't seem to shake off the Dementors that stood guard over Hogwarts, so he practiced shielding them with a Boggart. In his current attempt, Harry ran out of breath and fell down.

"I'm trying my hardest, Professor," he gasped.

Remus told him, "Don't be hard on yourself. You're showing marvelous improvement, especially for a thirteen-year old." He handed Harry a requisite piece of chocolate.

"Can I ask you something, Professor Lupin? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Anything."

"What's your happiest memory?"

Remus should've known that Harry would raise this question. "I think my best memories of childhood were with my family. Once I got to Hogwarts, most of my memories involved your parents. You really do look like them. Don't be surprised if I stumble and call you James."

"I've heard that quite a bit," said Harry. "That I look just like them. And that I have my mother's eyes."

"They're not lying," Remus agreed. "You don't have her red hair, though." _I hear he also has more of a temper, like James had_, he thought to himself. _How much of his personality comes from Lily? _

"Were you two ever… more than friends?"

Remus was taken aback.

"Definitely not, Harry. I don't want you thinking that James competed with me for Lily. She was a wonderful friend to me. Nothing more than that."

When Harry left his office, Remus let his mind return to his late friends. Lily Potter was the kindest soul he knew, besides his own mother. But if he were honest, he'd only thought of Lily as the sister he always wanted. That's why he let James have her. Through the years, Remus trained himself to resist having even the slightest romantic feelings toward a girl. He would never marry, much less become a father. It was just too risky. Love would never exist in his world. That was before he met... her.


End file.
